How to make the perfect Rosemary and Mustard Pork Chops

You know you’re in for a good meal when the pork chops are out on the kitchen worktop, fresh from the butcher. It’s little wonder that pork is the most widely eaten meat in the world, with people raising and eating pigs for at least seven thousand years - it’s versatile, easy to cook, and downright delicious to eat.

You can - and people do - eat pretty much every single part of the pig, but it’s the chops which are probably most sought after. On the bone (usually the rib of the animal), and packed full of juicy flavour, pork chops are the perfect cut of meat for a massive range of dinners.

Here’s a simple preparation that allows the natural flavour of the meat to stand out - but do make sure you’re getting the best meat you can afford. There’s a world of difference in taste between intensively farmed, flavourless, stringy pig flesh, and outdoor-reared, organic pork from more ethical sources.

What you'll need:

• 4 good quality, organic pork chops
• 2 tablespoons of fine mustard - Dijon or similar
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• A big, thinly sliced clove of garlic
• The leaves of two sprigs of rosemary
• 1 tablespoon of sherry or similar

Method:

First

In a large bowl, mix together the mustard, garlic, rosemary, sherry and olive oil along with some freshly ground black pepper and a pinch of salt. Pour the whole lot into a large food bag, and chuck in your pork chops. Seal the bag, massage it all together through the plastic, and leave to marinade for at least three hours.

Second

After they’ve sat for a few hours, taking in all those flavours, drain the chops of the marinade, and save the mixture in a bowl. Mix the marinade with a tablespoon of cold water, and stir well.

Third

Fire up your griddle or pan until it is very hot. Place your chops onto the hot surface, and cook for about ten minutes, turning once or twice. As they are cooking, brush your marinade onto the meat, to infuse with flavour.

Last

Remove from the heat, and season with salt and pepper. You’ll want to relax the meat before you eat it, to ensure all the juices stay inside. To do this, simply leave on a warm plate for ten minutes, covered in foil.

Serve with whatever you like - mashed potato and green vegetables work well, but the choice is yours.

Wine Pairing for Pork Chops Recipe

Pork and wine are always a winning combination, and with this dish, you’ve got a few added flavours which, instead of masking the natural taste of the meat, only serve to enhance it.

There is some debate in the wine world as to which wines match best with pork - technically, it is white meat, and most people would pair it with a white wine, but the flavour of good quality pork easily stands up to a medium-bodied red.

It generally depends on what sauces or additional flavours you’re adding to the meat, as pork has a chameleon-like quality, being highly versatile and great with lots of additional tastes.

In this dish, and with any pork chop dishes, you need a wine which is going to be able to cut through the fattiness of the piece of meat. For us, this dish would work beautifully with a good Gewurztraminer - bright, crisp and excellent with anything griddled and a little smoky. Go for a drier Gewurztraminer, to deal with the fatty rind on the pork, and you can’t go far wrong.

Whether you are a wine novice or you simply just want to explore new, great-value wines, our wine palate quiz below will surely lead you to your wine matches!

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